Judge Charles Kaufman
Wayne County
Detroit, Michigan
retired in 1992, died in 2004

        On June 19, 1982, Vincent Chin was beaten to death by two unemployed white auto workers who mistook him as Japanese.

        A 27-year-old Chinese-American, Chin was celebrating his last days of bachelorhood in a Detroit bar.   An argument broke out between him and Ronald Ebens, a Chrysler Motors foreman.   Ebens shouted ethnic insults, the fight moved outside, and before onlookers, Ebens bludgeoned Chin to death with a baseball bat while Michael Nitz, Ebens's stepson and a laid-off Chrysler assembly-line worker, held Chin down.  Chin died on June 23, 1982.

        In the ensuing trial, Ebens and Nitz were convicted of manslaughter, and Judge Kaufman sentenced both to three years probation and imposed a $3,780 fine.  A U.S. Department of Justice civil rights prosecution was initially successful but was overturned, Ebens v. U.S., 800 F.2d 1422 (1986).

        In 1987, a civil suit against Ebens and Nitz was settled for $1.5 million.  Ebens' homeowners' policy paid about $20,000.  Nitz has made regular payments.  Ebens boasted that Chin's mother would never see the money.  Ebens placed his assets in his wife's name and lives in Nevada.  If you can assist in any way, contact

    Jim Brescoll
    Attorney at Law
    222 Merrill St.
    Birmingham, Michigan 48009
    (248) 540-4300
    Fax: (248) 540-0220